Many women, and indeed some men, frequently apply cosmetics of various types at or near their eyes. These cosmetics include those commonly referred to as “mascara”, which are in the form of a liquid, cake, or cream composition of pigments, oils, waxes, and preservatives for darkening, thickening, lengthening, or visibly defining one's eyelashes. Other types of eye cosmetics include false eyelashes, which may be in the form of individual lashes, eyelash extensions, or full sets of lashes, and which are attached to one's eyelashes or eyelids by way of an adhesive. Eye liner and eye shadow are other types of eye cosmetics applied to the eyelid.
The application of eye cosmetics of these various types to one's own eyes is necessarily awkward. It is easier to apply these cosmetics, particularly false eyelashes, to a closed eye—but of course the eyes must be open in order to accurately place the cosmetics. Precise application of eye cosmetics to one's own eyes, especially with the precision required to attach individual false eyelashes, is thus difficult if not impossible using a conventional plane mirror.